Enhancing the

Dental Public Health

Workforce & RDH,
Kneka Smith, Infrastructure
BS
February 26-27, 2004
Washington, D.C.
Dental Public Health
Is the science & art of preventing &
controlling dental diseases and
promoting dental health through
organized community efforts
Itis that form of dental practice
which serves a community
as the patient rather than the
individual.
While private dentistry fights in the
trenches to deliver health care and
education to individuals, public
health dentistry surveys the battle
field from the hill tops and tries to
discern the needs of the community
as a whole.
--Bob Sare
DPH Concerns
Dental health education of the
public
Applied dental research
Administration of programs
Prevention & control of dental
diseases on a community basis
Knowledge & Skills
Oral Health Programs for Populations
Disease Prevention & Control Strategies
Ethical Standards
Dental Care Delivery Systems
Surveillance Systems
Communication
PH Policy, Legislation, Regulations
Scientific Literature
Conduct Studies
DPH is not just
Welfare dentistry Quality assurance
Medicaid dentistry Financial support for
Socialized dentistry dental education
Conducting surveys Expanded functions

Fluoridation for dental auxiliaries

Provider of last
OSHA regulations
resort
Infection control
Community Dentistry isnt DPH
DPH isnt Community Dentistry
Community Dentistry Focus:
clinical oral health care for
individual patients

Dental Public Health: oral

health of groups of people
 Dental Public Health Is
Concern for and activity
directed toward the
improvement & protection
of the oral health for whole population.
 Goal of
Workshop
Objectives
Brainstormcollaborative approaches
to address DPH workforce shortage

Develop a draft national action plan

Establishcore group to facilitate

follow-up on action plan
Short-term Outcome
Gain commitment from a variety
of national organizations &
agencies to implement an
action plan to enhance the DPH
workforce & infrastructure
Long-term Outcomes
Increase capacity to recruit &
retain a diverse and competent
DPH workforce that can help to
reduce the oral health
disparities in underserved
populations in the US
Shared
Goal
Issues to Consider:
Career Opportunity in DPH

Pipeline of DPH professionals

Support of people in DPH

positions
Enhance skills in leading to improve the
nations oral health
 Introductions

Name
Organization
You Represent
Where You Work
Capacity
a. Ability to perform or produce;
capability.
b. The maximum or optimum amount that
can be produced

Alternative:
1. The quality of being suitable for or
receptive to specified treatment: the
capacity of elastic to be stretched.
Infrastructure
n 1: the basic framework or features of
a system or organization